caption:PROTEST AT DRUMTHWACKET: A small group of
protestors gathered outside the governor's mansion in Princeton
Township on Monday to show concern for his present course of action.
Gov. McGreevey announced last week that he is gay and had an extramarital
affair with another man. He plans to leave office November 15,
but some residents say that isn't soon enough.

Princeton
Reacts to McGreevey's Resignation

Candace
Braun

After the initial shock of hearing Gov. James
McGreevey's announcement last Thursday that he is "a gay
American" and had engaged in an extramarital affair with
another man, Princeton residents and area government officials have
had varying opinions on their governor and his decision to resign
on November 15.

On Monday, a group of 10 Princeton-area
residents gathered in front of Drumthwacket, the governor's
mansion, to protest his decision, which rules out a special
election in November.

With news circulating that Israeli
Golan Cipela, a former homeland security advisor, had an affair
with the governor and is now preparing a sexual harassment
suit against him, some residents feel that Gov. McGreevey was operating
a "corrupt government," said protestor and Princeton
Township resident Michele Seas.

While not identified
as a group from a specific political organization, protestors
had a blunt message for Gov. McGreevey. "Get out of our house," "It's
the corruption, stupid," and "Let New Jersey Vote: Resign
Now" were among the signs that residents displayed to
oncoming drivers, several of whom honked in agreement.

"The
bottom line is that there has been corruption and that's why we're angry,"
said Susan Pizzi, a protestor who lives in Montgomery. "If
he did have a sense of character he would step down now. No
one cares about his sense of lifestyle, that's not the issue
here."

Township Mayor Phyllis Mar- chand said she believes
the governor should be allowed these next few months to meet
with his successor, State Senate President Richard Codey, to
go over the work that he has done and to discuss what policies
he had intended to introduce.

"I think Gov. McGreevey
has done some good things that are now being colored by issues
of integrity," she said, pointing out that New Jersey is
now one of the leading states in stem cell research.

Borough
Mayor Joe O'Neill, whose daughter is gay, also said he doesn't
see a reason for Gov. McGreevey to leave office before November:
"I'm not in favor of him leaving office now ... I see
no reason to rush it."

Both mayors observed that there
wasn't enough time before November to appoint candidates from
either party.

Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, a Democrat,
said he feels that Gov. McGreevey has always done what he felt
was best for the state of New Jersey while in office: "I've
known him for a long time and I feel he is very accomplished
and I hate to see him [resign], but I do think it's what's best for
him and his family."

Congressman Rush Holt, who just
returned to the country on Sunday, was unavailable for comment.

Princeton
Township resident and GOP Congressional Nominee Bill Spadea said that
"while the family should be allowed to deal with this privately,
the public has a right to know how deep this scandal runs."

He
compared the governor's recent actions to a "tide of corruption,
scandal, and mismanagement."

Princeton University
President Shirley Tilghman declined to comment.

Although
some residents are concerned with the impact of Gov. McGreevey's decision
on New Jersey politics, others in the gay community are troubled
by how his "coming out" coincided with his resignation.
Members of Princeton University's Pride Alliance said they
felt that the governor leaving office after declaring that
he is gay could reflect poorly on the gay community.

"I
feel that the focus of [Gov. McGreevey's] resignation will be
on his coming out, rather than on issues of political patronage,"
said Jessie Weber, co-president of Pride Alliance. "It
would be really unfortunate if Americans were led to believe
that he had to resign because he is gay."

Ashley Rook,
the other president of Pride Alliance, said that the governor is
going through a difficult time and deserves the public's sympathy
in matters of his personal life: "Realizing and coming
to terms with one's homosexuality can be difficult for anybody...
Having a family and being a well-known politician is not going
to make it any easier. I hope Gov. McGreevey is able to work
everything out with his family as best he can."

While
the governor continues to be encouraged to leave office before November
15, he is currently standing his ground to remain for three more months.